Thied to stephen t



(No Model.)

J. SPLANE.,

METALLIC RAILROAD TIL.

No. 367,325. Patented J-uly'26, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN sPLAnE,l on PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvANiA, AssIeNoE on ONE- THIED ToSTEPHEN rr. BEALE, JE., on sAME PLAGE.

' METALLIC RAILROAD-TIE.

'SPECIFICATION frming part of Letters Patent No. 367,325, dated July 26,1887.

Application tiled May 9, 1887. Serial o. 237,527. (No model.)

rolled, pressed, or stamped into a rectangular-4 shaped channeled plate,having horizontal supporting-seats with downwardly-projecting sideflanges, which fit into the earth a suffil cient distance to 'allow theseats to rest upon the surface of the ground, and the rails supportedsnugly in a recess or notch formed in the upper surface and side wallsof the channeled plate, and firmly held in posit-ion therein by means oftwo longitudinal clamp-rods having a swivel or other suitable form ofnut, the clamping device being tightened by the application of anordinary wrench and the nut prevented from turning while rin position bya locking device suitably journaled in the side walls ofthe channeledplate, whereby the tie as so constructed may be firmly held in theground, and the removal of a rail, for whatever purpose it may becomenecessary, readily and quickly accomplished without having to remove aseries of bolts and nuts, which has been one of the greatest objectionsto the use of the heretofore more or less complicated constructions ofmetallic ties for railroads.

Ihe nature of my invention will be more fully understood upon 4referenceto the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown my invention in aformwhich has been found practical] y efficient, in which the essentialfeatures thereof are embodied, and kin which-,-

Figure l is a longitudinal central section through my improved metallictie, showin g the two rails supported inthe recesses formed to receivethem, and with the clamping-rods provided with a swivel-nut for lirmlyholding them in position therein. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectivelytransverse sections on the lines :v x and yy of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a topor plan View of the tie, showing the rails in position; and Fig. 5 is aside elevation thereof. 4

Referring to the drawings, a represents the channeled plate, made ofSteel or iron, in a single piece, rolled, stamped, or pressed into ande'.

preferably a rectangular shape, and'integral` therewith on each side isthe horizontal supportingseat b, having the downwardly-projecting flangec, which fits into the earth sufficiently to allow the supportingseats bto rest snugly upon the top surface of the ground,and thereby preventany movement of the tie when once in position.

d and d are two recesses or notches suitably formed in the top surfacesand side walls of the channeled plate for receiving the rails e Theserecesses'or notches are of such shape as to permit ofthe lower portionor base of the rails and the webs thereof to be fitted snugly up againstthe top surface and side walls `of the channeled plate, forming, as itwere,stationary clamps for holding one side of the rails, While theopposite side ofthe respective rails are held to place firmly in therecesses or notches by means of the longitudinal clamprods fand f',having right and left threaded extremities to which a swivelnut, h, iscentrally attached, and these rods tightened by means of an ordinaryWrench applied to the swivel-nut through an aperture, t', in the topsurface of the channeled plate a. Y

To prevent the swivel-nut h from turning while in position, is provideda locking device, j, of suitable construction, journaled in the sidewalls of the channeled plate a, and having, preferably, two dependingfingers, k and lc', which firmly hold the hexagonal or other forni ofswivel-nut h in position.

I do not wish to limit myself to the use of the locking device as shownand explained, as any other means that will prevent the nut while inposition from turning I desire to avail myself of the use offforaccomplishing the object in the more extended practice of the invention.

The manner of removing a rail from my improved metallic tie may beexplained as follows: Assuming the tie to be in the position shown, forinstance, in sectional view in Fig. l, by raising the fingers k and 7cof the locking device journaled in the side walls of the channeled platea, the swivel-nut h may be loosened by an ordinary wrench insertedthrough the aperture t' in the top surface of the plate a until theclamp-rods f and f are releasedsufciently to drop downward from IOC thetapering upper surface of the foot of the rail, when the rail, by aslight inward movement by hand, may be readily and quickly removed fromthe recess d or d' of the metallic tie.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Ainetallic railroad-tie consisting of a single piece of metal rolledor bent into a rectangular-shapcd channeled plate provided with twohorizontal supporting-seats having project-ing flanges, and withrecesses formed in the top surface and side walls of said plate forholding oneportion of the rails in said recesses, in combination withtwo rails and means, substantially as described, for holding the otherportion of the rails in said recesses.

2. A metallic railroad-tie consisting of a channeled plate provided withhorizontal supporting-seats having projecting flanges, recessesformedlin the top and sides or" said plate, forming clamps for holdingthelower portions 0f the rails, in combination with two rails, twoclampingrods, and a swivel-nut, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

3. A metallic railroad tie composed of a rectangulanshaped channeledplate made of rolled steel or iron in asinglc piece, with seats havingdownwardly-projecting flanges, and two recesses with angular` notchesfitting around the lower portion ofthe rails, in combination with therails and two clampingrods earryinga swivel-nut for tightening saidrods,and thereby holding said rails iirmly in position in said recesses,substantially as described.

4. Ametallicrailroad-tiecomposedofachanneled plate with supporting-seatsand downwardly-projecting side anges, and recesses formed in said platefor receiving and supporting the rails, in combination with two rails,twolongitudinal clamping-rods provided with a swivel-nut for tighteningsaid rods, and means for'preventing said nut from turning while inposition, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN SPLANE.

Vitliesses:

HERMANN BORMANN, J. WALTER DoUGLAss.

